Rabbi Gary A. Glickstein

Two Prayers, an Historical Precedent and a Prayer-Song

Once again this summer our people are under siege - before, during and, it appears, after the period of official Jewish mourning called “The Three Weeks” and culminating in our fast day of Tisha B’Av. Along with all Jews everywhere, I have been attentively following the news reports, conversing and e-mailing with Israeli friends, attending briefings by “experts” and devouring analyses by in-depth essayists.

I have no special insight or wisdom in these enormous and weighty matters of war and peace, strategy and politics. I certainly possess no important expertise that would enable me to prognosticate. As it is written in the Talmud, “I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet.” I do engage intensely in prayer and in study. In these two areas, I offer the following:

A Prayer for the Redemption of the Captive Israeli Soldiers

Written by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit-Halachmi

Translated by Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi

Our God, the One who raised Joseph up from the pit, be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Send complete rescue and full redemption to those held captive by the enemy (at this writing Gilead Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev). Strengthen their spirit and bring them our prayers that they be protected from all harm. Implant understanding in the heart of the enemy that they may return the captives in wholeness of body and spirit. Grant wisdom to the Israel Defense Forces that they may secure freedom for the captives without loss of life. Grant strength of spirit and courage of heart to all the sons and daughters of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to release bonds of captivity and allow us all to live in freedom. "They shall call upon Me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in distress; I will rescue them, and honor them." (after Psalm 91:15)

A Prayer for Israeli Soldiers

(After the official Mi Sheberach Prayer for the IDF)

May the One who blessed our ancestors bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces who stand guard over our land and our cities from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea to the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be defeated. May the Holy One preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and May God send blessing and success in their every endeavor. May God safely return our captured soldiers to their homes and families.

May God grant our soldiers salvation and the crown of victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the Scripture: "For it is the Lord, your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you, to save you."

An Historical Precedent in the Matter of Captives

In an article in the Jerusalem Post, July 14, Rabbi Stewart Weiss, a Conservative colleague living in Israel, whose son Ari Weiss fell in battle in 2002, reminds us that there is a limit to how far Jews are allowed to go to redeem captives.

He points to 13th century Germany and the case of Rabbi Meir ben Baruch, known as Maharam of Rothenburg, the head of German Jewry at that time.

“As conditions worsened for the Jews in Germany, many sought to escape the brutal pogroms and taxation by fleeing to Eretz Yisrael. Emperor Rudolf I, fearing the loss of Jewish gold, declared the Jews his personal property and, in 1286, forbade them from leaving Germany.

Maharam vigorously opposed the emperor and attempted to escape the country with his family, but he was informed upon by a Jewish apostate and imprisoned by Rudolf in the castle of Ensisheim. The emperor demanded an exorbitant ransom before he would free Maharam.

German Jewry was prepared to pay the enormous sum of 23,000 talents of silver for his release, but Maharam himself forbade the exchange, arguing that it would only serve to encourage more kidnappings and extortion within vulnerable Jewish communities. Maharam languished in prison for seven years until he died in 1293; his body was not released for burial until 14 years later when it was redeemed by a wealthy Jew.

His heroic act of self-sacrifice sent the message that there are times when the price of freedom can be too high. By refusing to pay the blackmail that was demanded of his people, Maharam assured that never again in Jewish history would rabbinic leaders be taken hostage.”

And, finally, a Prayer-Song:

Blessing for the Peace of the State of Israel

Rock of Israel

Israel’s strength and protector

Bless the State of Israel

Which represents the beginning of redemption.

Grant peace in the land

And everlasting joy to all her inhabitants

Amen

Avinu She’bashamayim Tzur Yisrael v’go’alo

Barech et medinat Yisrael

Resheet tz’michat g’ulateinu.

V’natata shalom ba’aretz

V’simchat olam l’chol yoshveha

Amen